An Interview with Keara McCarthy
This is Inside Endgames Improv: Trying to Make Improv Sound Fancy. My name is Kari and I am the General Administrator and a current student of Endgames. This blog will feature my first phone interview with a special someone immersed in Endgames Improv: Keara McCarthy. She’s a teacher dedicated to Thursday 101, a coach, a mother (whose tiny kids aren’t afraid to join her on stage — I wonder who they get that from), and one of the improvisers in SF who never fails to make me laugh. You know her from Your Fucked Up Relationship on Friday nights and the level 101 class she teaches Thursday night with Endgames Improv. I hope you enjoy getting to know Keara as we dive right in with Up to Eleven Questions, learn about her worst show experience, and hear what inspired her to start Endgames Improv’s first Womxn’s team (and more!).
Feel free to listen to the interview by listening to the playlist or clicking on each audio clip below. I also transcribed a good chunk of the interview. Stick around to the end and listen to us create a Haiku together and then Keara plays Jeopardy.
Up to Eleven Questions
What is your favorite improv suggestion?
I don’t know.
What is your least favorite improv suggestion?
Dildo.
What is your idea of happiness?
Not having anything to worry about.
What is your idea of a crappy day?
The worst day I ever had was when my son was bit by a dog in the face.
What space object work do you love?
Needlepoint.
What space object work do you hate?
Anything too complicated.
What is your favorite activity to watch?
My kids playing, I suppose.
Who are your top 3 people you would like to improvise with?
Amy Poehler… ugh… I don’t know.
Who are the top 3 people you would not like to improvise with?
My boyfriend, my mom, and my best friend.
Are you a cat, dog, or plant person?
I have cats as pets, I like dogs, and I also like plants. But I suppose I’m a cat person. Maybe cat, plant. I just never had a dog, I really like dogs. I just I never had one.
If aliens exist, what would you like to hear them say when you arrive for dinner?
We made your favorite!
The Big Questions
How did you get involved with improv?
I have a theater degree, I’m a theater major, and I went to SF state. And I went to college late, so I was older than everyone. So, I kind of went through the program in 2 years … I don’t think I really got too immersed in it. There was no improv at the school and I didn’t know too much about it really other than like “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” And I had done stand up for a very little while (a very little while) years before and I just was like, “I’ve always wanted to try improv, I think I would like it, and I think I would be good at it” and I really didn’t know anything about it. And I had some kind of website where they would post auditions and stuff after having been in the theater program. There was an audition for an improv group and I tried out and got on it. And I’ve been doing it ever since.
What was your takeaway from Drama at SFSU in general? And as it applies to improv?
I think one of the best things I learned from having a drama degree is constructive criticism. Taking it and receiving it. A weird transition is having that idea and translating it into improv. Since improv is so positive and people always want to hear yes, they don’t want to hear you tell them what you think of what they just did. It’s all about supporting people which is great, but I think to a fault sometimes. And that is when it first started out kinda strange for me that improvisers didn’t want to take any criticism.
Do you feel your theater experience has helped you with improv?
Not necessarily. I mean only with technical stuff like projection and stage presence and stuff like that. I am very aware of turning my back to the audience. Keep in mind, I was a theater major because it was like an easy choice. That sounds terrible, but I was like, “I can do this!” I was going back to school at 30 years old or something. I remember talking to my mom and I’m like, “I wanna go back to school. I think I’m gonna get a science degree.” And she’s like, “Why don’t you just do something easy? I know how you don’t want to deal with that math.” I mean it’s true, I really didn’t. I could have just burnt out. But instead, I got a degree and here we are.
What is your improv experience? How long have you been with The Recchia? And how long have you been doing improv?
I have been doing improv for 9 years. When I auditioned for that improv improv team, Tilted Frame. Max McCal was also on the team and that was how I met him. We did that show together. And We did another show (which I loved) that was called Future-Style 79 and we improvised a sitcom that took place in the 70s. It just worked really well, we wore full costumes and we made this whole thing that I thought was revolutionary. It was kind of a theater and improv combo (I guess). But that was like a 6 week run and the group disbanded. And after that went away there was like nothing. And then Max reached out to me and was like, “we are having auditions for Endgames for a show” that was called Confessions. So I tried out for that and got on that team. Then a couple of weeks after that (or something) I was asked to join The Recchia. And that was … I want to say that was November of 2011. So, I have been with the Recchia for 7 years. In November it will be 7 years.
How did you get involved with the teaching?
They just asked me to do it. Yea. “Hey, you wanna teach?” “Okay!” I only teach 101 and I’ve been teaching for 5 years. Cause I like the newbies. And at first I felt like an impostor or something because I had never taken classes. Because who am I to teach improv classes when I never taken them. So that is why I had felt more comfortable teaching 101, the “new people.” Now that I have been doing it long enough, I am trained to do the higher up classes, but it’s just a time thing right now.
What was the worst improv show or move you feel you did?
It wasn’t a move that I made, but the worst thing was we had a show in Rocklin at the Blacktop (California) Comedy Festival where it was for Your Fucked Up Relationship. And the girl we interviewed basically told us that she murdered the guy. Here’s what she said, here’s what she said … she said, the guy was was like a crackhead and they already broken up at this time. He was a total drug user and it was a real bad situation. And she said to us, “he asked to borrow 10 dollars, but I gave him 70 because I knew it would get the job done.” And the guy overdosed and died. And then we had to do an improv show after hearing that. I mean, I had the feeling of the floor falling out from under ya after hearing that and the way she was so callous about it stuck with me for a few days.
How do you think improv has and is impacting society (if at all)?
I don’t know if it’s largely affecting society at all, because it’s having a hard time creeping in all areas. But I think that everyone can use the skills you get from improv. Especially stuff that is simple like relying on your own brain for things. Don’t wait around for someone to tell you what do, think of something to do. It’s inside you already, find it. Everyone should be doing this, why isn’t everyone doing this? Because it’s scary and it’s hard to think about stuff and keep your brain clear at the same time.
Do you like to watch improv? Who is your favorite improviser(s) to watch?
I do like watching it, I just don’t much. I just like watching people who are really good at it. When I went to Chicago I saw a whole bunch of shows that were so good. And it’s because the caliber of what they are doing is just so much better than other places. One (team) was called like Rainbow Deli, I think. Maybe. We did see something at — — oo, see I don’t know if we were at Second City or iO. We went to one of the places. I don’t know, it was right by Wrigley Fields if that can give clues to the people who actually know. My initial reaction is say it was Second City, but I think it was iO.
How has improv impacted your life?
I’m very attached to it. Realistically, because I have two kids in SF, my days are numbered. Right? I’m not a millionaire, so I can’t get a house here and live here forever. But, I don’t want to go anywhere. We could move anywhere in the world! But I’m like, I need to move somewhere where I could do improv.
I like doing it. It’s such a great escape from my normal life. I guess that’s what I really need. I need to be on the stage making people laugh. Or I don’t feel right.
What do you feel makes a good improviser?
I feel it’s enthusiasm and this look of effortlessness. It seems like it’s so easy for them. You know they have put in so much work and they’ve tried. You know they’ve failed and there has been miserable times.
And what attracts you to Endgames?
It’s where I feel comfortable. I like that I know where it started. There’s no mystery behind like this is an old institution that’s better than you, or something like that. Does that make any sense? It’s like a family to me (I guess). I’m like heartbroken every time someone leaves The Recchia. And in 7 years it’s been a lot of people. But every time someone goes I’m like, “aw come on!”
What to know about the upcoming womxn’s team?
We are starting a Womxn’s team. It’s women and non-binary people. What I want to say about that is someone put forth some nomenclature and called it a “non-male” team which completely rubbed me the wrong way. It just puts all the importance of being male. I think it needs to be about who it’s for as opposed to who it’s not for. Right? So, that’s what it’s for and however we end up calling it, it’s a team for the people that you don’t always see up there.
Auditions info:
Nov 4th, 3:30 to 6:30pm
2989 Mission St, SF
Eventbrite Link
Email to be added to waitlist
Show Info:
Beginning in 2019.
Friday nights.
Rehearsal info:
Sundays, 7 to 10 pm
2989 Mission St, SF
(The coach is going to be Keara McCarthy.)
